Exceptionalities Wiki
Welcome to the Exceptionalities Wiki This wikia is for the Individual Assignment for Week 4 for SPE 513, Orientation to the Exceptional Learner. Below each student has been assigned one of the exceptionality categories. Write about your assigned exceptionality on your own page within the wiki, as well as contribute to two other students’ exceptionalities. Exceptionality Categories • Intellectual and developmental disabilities - ANGELA MARCHETTO • Learning disabilities - ARUNI PEHL-DESILVA • Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder - AUDRA MURRAY • Emotional or behavioral disorders - CATHRYN SAVINO • Autism spectrum disorders - CONNIE EOVINO • Speech and language impairments - JAMES PITTS • Hearing impairments - KELLI HALL • Visual impairments - NICOLE HUB • Physical, health, and related low-incidence disabilities ROBERT SCHMEELCKE • Gifted and talented – Anyone who wants to do this one is free to do so. Connie Eovino Autism Spectrum Disorder * What Is Autism Spectrum Disorder? Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by: ** Persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts; ** Restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities; ** Symptoms must be present in the early developmental period (typically recognized in the first two years of life); and, ** Symptoms cause clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of current functioning. Spectrum refers to the wide range of symptoms,skills, and levels of impairment a child with this disability might have. Causes Scientists don't know the exact causes of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but research suggests that both genes and environment play important roles.At least one content-relevant graphic, infographic, or diagram ** Early Signs & Symptoms Symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) vary from one child to the next, but in general, they fall into two areas: SOCIAL IMPAIRMENT (Most children with ASD have trouble engaging in everyday social interactions.) * make little eye contact *** Tend to look and listen less to people in their environment or fail to respond to other people *** Rarely seek to share their enjoyment of toys or activities by pointing or showing things to others *** Respond unusually when others show anger, distress, or affection. **** These responses at times include self harm or aggression toward others and may appear to the untrained observer to have no trigger (AM) REPETITIVE AND STEREOTYPED BEHAVIORS (These behaviors may be extreme and very noticeable, or they can be mild and discreet.) ** For example, some children may repeatedly flap their arms or walk in specific patterns, while others may subtly move their fingers by their eyes in what looks to be a gesture. These repetitive actions are sometimes called "stereotypy" or "stereotyped behaviors." ** Children with ASD also tend to have overly focused interests. Children with ASD may become fascinated with moving objects or parts of objects, like the wheels on a moving car. They might spend a long time lining up toys in a certain way, rather than playing with them. They may also become very upset if someone accidentally moves one of the toys. ** Repetitive behavior can also take the form of a persistent, intense preoccupation. For example, they might be obsessed with learning all about vacuum cleaners, train schedules, or lighthouses. Children with ASD often have great interest in numbers, symbols, or science topics. IDENTIFICATION/DIAGNOSIS * Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis is often a two-stage process. The first stage involves general developmental screening during well-child checkups with a pediatrician or an early childhood health care provider. Children who show some developmental problems are referred for additional evaluation. The second stage involves a thorough evaluation by a team of doctors and other health professionals with a wide range of specialties. At this stage, a child may be diagnosed as having ASD or another developmental disorder Why do we need to educate children with ASD differently? >Differences in Thinking, Understanding and LearningVisual Learners vs. Auditory Learners >Difficulty with Theory of Mind >Difficulty with Abstract and Flexible Thinking (Concrete) >Difficulty with Sequencing and Organization >Difficulty with Generalization >Difficulty Understanding and Using Nonverbal Language >Difficulty Interpreting Social Experiences >Difficulty Discerning Relevant Details >Distractibility –Internal and External >Difficulty Combining/Integrating Ideas >Difficulty Learning Through Imitation Appropriate and individualized educational strategies, which are based on research, support not only the development of academic skills, but also reduce anxiety, distractibility and behavioral disruptions. Focus of Educational Programs for Students with ASD Functional and spontaneous use of language Social skills (across settings) Academic skills Play/leisure skills Fine and gross motor skills Sensory processing Independence Generalization Adaptive behavior Organizational skills Self advocacy SPELL The SPELL framework has been developed by The National Autistic Society's schools and services to understand and respond to the needs of children and adults with autism. It recognises the unique needs of each child and emphasises that all planning and intervention should be organised on this basis. SPELL stands for Structure, Positive, Empathy, Low arousal, Links. ** Structure makes the world a more predictable, accessible and safer place and can aid personal autonomy and independence. ** Positive approaches and expectations seek to establish and reinforce self-confidence and self-esteem by building on natural strengths, interest and abilities. ** Empathy is essential to underpin any approach designed to develop communication and reduce anxiety. ** The approaches and environment need to be low arousal: calm and ordered in such a way as to reduce anxiety and aid concentration. ** Strong links between the various components of the person's life or therapeutic programme will promote and sustain essential consistency. What are some of the''' special education interventions''' used with students with autism? Discrete Trial Teaching (DTT) * Floortime, or Difference Relationship Model (DIR) * Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) * Relationship Development Intervention (RDI) * Social Communication/Emotional Regulation/Transactional Support (SCERTS) * (TEACCH)Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT) * Verbal Behavior (VB) Therapy (OT) * Physical Therapy (PT) * Sensory Integration Therapy (SI) * Speech-Language Therapy (SLT) Using photobooks and graphic organizers is essential to working with an autistic child. These photo books can include processes for getting dressed in the morning, completing projects, potty training, etc. These type of interventions should be used both in the home and at school as consistency is crucial to the development of skills with autistic children. (CS) Sensory activities, such as playing in sand or with homemade slime, are beneficial and provide the student with autism with a learning opportunity where they can feel successful. When doing these activities it is important to prepare the student, have them be part of the regular routine and to allow the student to opt out of activity if they try it and do no like it (AM). * References * Mesibov, G. & Shae, V. Division TEACCH, The Culture ofAutism: From Theoretical Understanding toEducational Practice. ''www.teacch.org * Reavens, J. PhD. JFK Partners, University of ColoradoHealth Sciences Center,''Denver Model ofIntensive Therapy for Young Children with Autism. www.jfkpartners.org * Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV-R, American Psychiatric Association, 2000 '' * Johnson, C.P. Early Clinical Characteristics of Children with Autism. In: Gupta, V.B. ed: Autistic Spectrum Disorders in Children. New York: Marcel Dekker, Inc., 2004:85-123. * Teaching Children with Autism Special Education Interventions = '''Speech and Language Impairment' A speech or language impairment can be characterized as students displaying extraordinary difficulties communicating with others for reasons other than maturation. A speech or language impairment is one of the thirteen disabilities covered under IDEA. Speech is the behavior of forming and sequencing the sounds of oral language. One common speech problem is with speech articulation, resulting in the inability to pronounce sounds correctly at and after the developmentally appropriate age. The most common speech impairment is stuttering. Language is a system of symbols that we use to communicate feelings, thoughts, desires, and actions. It is the message contained in speech. Causes Some causes of speech and language disorders include hearing loss, neurological disorders, brain injury, intellectual disabilities, drug abuse, physical impairments such as cleft lip or palate, and vocal abuse or misuse. Identification of speech and language impairments 1. Articulation * a. Has difficulty pronouncing sounds correctly; sounds may be distorted or omitted, or one sound may be inappropriately substituted for another * b. Speech may be slurred 2. Voice * a. Speech is excessively hoarse * b. May use excessive volume or too little volume * c. Speech has too much nasality * d. Speech lacks inflection 3. Fluency * a. Stutters when speaking * b. May have excessively slow rate of speech * c. May exhibit uneven, jerky rate of speech Accommodations The INCLUDE strategy gives teachers a systematic process for accommodating students based on their individual needs and the classroom demands on or expectations of the teacher. The INCLUDE strategy includes two approaches; universal design & differentiated instruction. # · Universal design- the idea that instructional materials, methods, and assessment should be designed with built in supports # · Differentiated instruction- a variety of teaching and learning strategies are necessary to meet the range of needs evident in any classroom To serve students with speech and language impairments, teachers must: * · Create an atmosphere of acceptance * · Encourage listening and teach listening skills * · Use modeling to expand students language * · Provide many meaningful context for practicing speech and language skills Prevalence Based on U.S. Department of Education census completed in 2004, 1,103,091 students receive special education services under the classification of speech or language impairment. This accounts for about 18.7% of total students receiving services under IDEA. References A Day in the Life of an SLP. (2011, January 1). Retrieved August 26, 2014, from http://www.parentcenterhub.org/repository/speechlanguage/ Friend, M., & Bursuck, W. (2009). Students with High-Incidence Disabilities. In Including students with special needs: A practical guide for classroom teachers (5th ed., pp. 244-248). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education. Hallahan, D. P., Lloyd, J. W., Kauffman, J. M., Weiss, M. P., & Martinez, E. A. (2005). Learning disabilities: Foundations, characteristics, and effective teaching (3rd ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon Latest activity Photos and videos are a great way to add visuals to your wiki. Find videos about your topic by exploring Wikia's Video Library. Category:Browse